Referendum: 93% Crimeans overwhelmingly vote to join Russia

Crimeans have voted overwhelmingly to join Russia, with Russian news agency RIA saying exit polls indicate 93 percent voted in favour of the move.

As Russian flags fluttered in the breeze and retirees grew weepy at the thought of reuniting with Russia, residents of Ukraine's Crimea region held a secession vote Sunday. 

The United States and Europe condemned the referendum as illegal, while Ukraine's new government called it a "circus" directed at gunpoint by Moscow.

Putin vetoes UN resolution as Crimea polling stations prepare for referendum

As Crimea crisis remain unresolved, Russia has vetoed a Western-backed resolution condemning the Crimea referendum at a UN Security Council emergency vote on Saturday, while China abstained, isolating Moscow further on the Ukraine crisis.


The UN draft resolution, which says Sunday's referendum would have no validity, got 13 votes in the 15-member Council. But it was rejected when permanent member Russia exercised its veto.

Crimea Updates: Crimea referendum would violate international law - Obama

[AFP] United State President Barack Obama has warned that a referendum in Crimea on joining Russia would violate Ukraine's constitution and international law.

Obama spoke hours after the United States imposed visa bans on certain senior Russian officials and moved towards wider sanctions against individuals and entities in Moscow, to punish the Kremlin's incursion into Ukraine.

"We want to live peacefully in Russia" - Crimea Russians

Crimea referendum on joining Russia to be held March 16

 About 50 people on Thursday morning rallied outside the local parliament in Simferopol, Crimea's capital, waving Russian and Crimean flags.

The posters they held was one that said "Russia, defend us from genocide." "We are tired of revolutions, maidans and conflicts and we want to live peacefully in Russia," said one of the bystanders, Igor Urbansky, 35. "Only Russia can give us a peaceful life."